RELEASE OF CYTOKINES, POLYMORPHONUCLEAR ELASTASE AND TERMINAL C5B-9 COMPLEMENT COMPLEX BY INFUSION OF WOUND DRAINAGE BLOOD

25 patients undergoing total hip replacement surgery were studied in a n investigation of release of cytokines (interleukin-1 beta, IL-1 beta ; interleukin-6, IL-6; interleukin-8, IL-8; and tumor necrosis factor- alpha, TNF-alpha), PMN elastase and terminal C5b-9 complement complexe s (TCC) at the time of collection and transfusion of autologous blood. 15 patients received wound blood that was washed and centrifuged befo re being transfused as an erythrocyte suspension. In this blood there were no elevations in the concentrations of cytokines, TNF-alpha, PMN elastase or TCC, and there was no increase in these variables in plasm a after transfusion of wound blood. 10 patients received postoperative ly-collected drainage blood. There were high amounts of cytokines, PMN elastase and TCC in this blood, and filtration of the collected drain age blood did not reduce the concentrations of these factors, except t hose of TCC. When the collected drainage blood was infused, elevated p lasma concentrations of IL-6, IL-8 and PMN elastase were observed 1 an d 60 minutes after completing the transfusion. No differences regardin g blood pressure, oxygen saturation (SpO(2)), and hemoglobin concentra tion between the groups were recorded.